Zucchini Noodles with Garlicky Shrimp

February 9, 2017

Zucchini Noodles with Garlicky Shrimp is an amazingly tasty and filling pasta substitute, perfect for diabetics on anyone on a low carb diet.

This is not the first time I post a zucchini noodle recipe. The fact that I post another recipe in a few years should be taken as an endorsement, weird as it sounds. The reason why I like both of these recipes, besides tricking my brain into thinking that I am eating actual noodles, is that both recipes have ingredients with strong flavors. The first one Mambá, and this garlic.

Speaking of garlic, do you love garlic as much as I do?

A few days ago I heard from a fellow Latino colleague that somebody commented with surprise in one of her recipes that it contained a whole head of garlic. Her reader thought that there was a mistake in the recipe.

What made my colleague and me giggle was the idea that there was such thing as too much garlic. Next, you’ll tell me that unicorns are real and pigs fly.

It may be a Latino thing, but we love our garlic.

So, if you hate garlic — or are a vampire — I suggest you do skip this recipe, otherwise, welcome my fellow garlic-lover.

This is a recipe that diabetics and people on low-carb diets will love. It’s like a plateful of very tasty pasta, but without the guilt. Zoodles (zucchini noodles) are one of my favorite pasta substitutes. Of course, you can make this with actual pasta, spaghettini works best with it, just boil according to instructions on the package and add to the dish in lieu of zoodles.

Making zucchini noodles: Chop and discard the ends of the zucchini. Slice with a potato peeler. Discard the top and bottom slices that are almost all peel. Arrange the slices one on top of the other, and cut into very fine strips with a knife. I also own this cutter that makes making vegetable noodles a piece of cake.

Cooking the shrimp: Heat oil over low heat. Add garlic and stir. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook for 5 minutes (make sure it does not burn). Stir in the spinach. Cover and cook until the spinach are a bit wilted (3-5 mins). Stir in the shrimp, followed by basil. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until the shrimp start turning pink.

Cooking the zucchini noodles: Add and stir noodles into the pan. Cover and simmer until the noodles are wilted but still "al dente" (3-5 mins). Taste and season with salt and pepper to taste if needed. Sprinkle with chili flakes to taste.

Serving: Serve immediately, you don't need salad (plenty of greens in it), but some arugula and tomato go well with it, should you choose to serve a salad.

Notes & Nutrition Facts

Nutritional Analysis

Bajo en carbohidratos
High in phosphorus
High in vitamin A
High in vitamin B6
High in vitamin B12
Very high in vitamin C